Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice to trace the missing owners of a Goa nightclub where a major fire incident occurred. The notice enables global police cooperation to gather information on their whereabouts and identity.
About Blue Corner Notice
Part of Interpol’s colour-coded alert system.
Also called an enquiry notice.
Purpose:
To collect additional information about a person of interest.
To verify identity, location, or criminal background.
Typically issued before criminal charges are formally filed.
Helps member countries share information rapidly during investigations.
What is INTERPOL?
Full name: International Criminal Police Organization.
Facilitates international police cooperation against crimes such as terrorism, drug trafficking, cybercrime, human trafficking and organized crime.
Members: 196 countries.
India joined in 1949.
Not a UN agency; it is an independent international body.
Holds Permanent Observer status at the UN since 1996.
Headquarters: Lyon, France.
India’s Role:
India became a member of INTERPOL in 1949.
As a member country, India participates through its National Central Bureau (NCB) located in New Delhi, under the CBI.
India can request or respond to Interpol Notices, including Red, Blue, Yellow and others.
India contributes to global policing cooperation on terrorism, cybercrime, trafficking, money laundering, and organized crime.
In India, it is legally mandatory for which of the following to report on cyber security incidents? (2017)
1. Service providers
2. Data Centres
3. Body corporate
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
(a) 1 only (b) 1 and 2 only (c) 3 only (d) 1, 2 and 3
Sultanpur National Park in Haryana has recorded a sharp rise in migratory bird arrivals, with numbers increasing from 10,000–15,000 in mid-November to an estimated 25,000–35,000 in early December. The rise is linked to falling temperatures, improved wetland conditions and enhanced conservation efforts.
About Sultanpur National Park
Located in Gurugram district, Haryana.
Recognized as one of Asia’s major bird habitats.
Declared a Ramsar Site in 2021.
Ecosystem: freshwater wetland, surrounded by grassland and acacia woodland.
Major attraction during winter due to large flocks of migratory birds.
Migration Patterns
Attracts species from: Siberia, Europe, Central Asia and Other northern regions.
Migration triggered by:
Decreasing temperatures in breeding grounds
Availability of food and safe wetland habitats in India.
Species Currently Sighted
Greylag Goose, Bar-headed Goose, Northern Pintail, Common Teal, Shoveler (Northern Shoveler), Common Coot and Black-tailed Godwit (near-threatened).
Which of the following National Parks is unique in being a swamp with floating vegetation that supports a rich biodiversity? (2015)
Researchers from the Zoological Survey of India have identified two new species of jumping spiders in Meghalaya, further highlighting the region’s status as a major biodiversity hotspot.
The new species are:
Asemonea dentis
Colyttus nongwar
Their formal descriptions have been published in Zootaxa, an international peer-reviewed journal.
Location & Significance
Found in the forested landscapes of Meghalaya, part of the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot.
The Northeast is considered one of India’s least-explored yet ecologically rich regions.
About the Species
Asemonea dentis
Belongs to the genus Asemonea; this is only the third Indian species in this genus.
Named for a distinct tooth-like projection on the male palpal femur.
Male: greenish-brown body with pale-yellow V-shaped abdominal marking.
Female: creamy white body with fine black markings.
Genus characteristics: associated with shrubs and foliage; less studied in India.
Colyttus nongwar
Only the second Indian species of the genus Colyttus.
Named after Nongwar village in the Khasi Hills.
Both sexes display:
Oval reddish-brown carapace
Light-brown abdomen
Creamy anterior band with five chevron-shaped patches
Genus: little-known Oriental group with limited representation in India.
Recently, for the first time in our country, which of the following States has declared a particular butterfly as ‘State Butterfly’? (2016)
Every UPSC aspirant begins their journey filled with motivation. But what happens when that motivation fades, when the syllabus looks endless, when you can’t follow your schedule, or when one bad mock test shakes your confidence?
That’s exactly what happened to me. I realised early on that motivation and discipline are temporary fuel they fade, and when they do, your preparation crashes with them.
The only thing that sustains you in this marathon is a system, a prep system that keeps working even when you don’t feel like it.
In this session, I will share how I built that system, one that turned my inconsistency into results, and helped me secure my UPSC rank
Shivali Thakur , UPSC CSE 2024 Ranker
What I will cover (practical, no fluff):
1. Why Motivation Fails and Systems Don’t
The myth of “I’ll study when I feel motivated”.
How discipline without systems leads to burnout.
What toppers actually mean when they say “process oriented preparation”.
2. My Prep System Blueprint for UPSC 2027 Aspirants
How I built a study rhythm that survived low energy days.
Creating a “fixed environment” that reduces decision fatigue.
The habit cycle that automates revision, note making, and mocks.
3. Daily Systems That Create Consistency
Designing realistic micro goals that give a sense of progress every day.
The “evening review ritual” that keeps track of mistakes and progress.
How I turned distraction time into active reflection time.
4. The 3 Components of a Ranker’s System
Input System: PYQ driven learning and daily target sheets.
Process System: The microtheme approach to link topics across GS papers.
Feedback System: Weekly reflection and mentor evaluation.
Why attend this session:
Learn to prepare without relying on motivation or strict willpower.
Get a replicable prep system that keeps you moving forward every single day.
Understand how to sustain UPSC preparation for 18+ months without burning out.
Access a Prelims Microthemes PDF to integrate this system with your own study plan.
It will be a 45 minute session, post which we will open up the floor for all kinds of queries which a beginner must have. No questions are taboo and Shivali Ma’am is known to be patiently solving all your doubts.
Join us for a Zoom session on 11th Dec at 7 PM. This session is a must attend for you If you are attempting UPSC for the first time or have attempted earlier and now preparing for 2026/2027, then it is going to be a valuable session for you too.
See you in the session”
Register for the session for a complete in-depth UPSC Prep
(Don’t wait—the next webinar/session won’t be until End Dec’25)
These masterclasses are packed with value. They are conducted in private with a closed community. We rarely open these webinars for everyone for free. This time we are keeping it for 300 seats only.
[UPSC 2021]“Besides being a moral imperative of a Welfare State, primary health structure is a necessary precondition for sustainable development.” Analyse.
Linkage: This question is relevant to GS II (Social Justice – Health) as it focuses on the state’s welfare responsibility through primary healthcare. It links to the right to health and sustainable development, highlighting the need for strong public health systems over market-led models.
Mentor’s Comment
This article analyses the National Convention on Health Rights and its significance in reframing health care as a rights-based public good. It highlights systemic failures in public health financing, privatisation-driven inequities, medicine access barriers, and workforce distress, while foregrounding the demand for a legally enforceable right to health in India.
Why in the News
The National Convention on Health Rights (December 11-12) is being held in New Delhi, coinciding with Human Rights Day and Universal Health Coverage Day, bringing together 400+ health professionals, community leaders, and activists from over 20 states. It is significant as it attempts a post-COVID national reset of India’s health policy discourse, challenging the long-standing trend of commercialisation and privatisation of health care. The convention highlights a stark contradiction: while health crises have intensified, public health spending remains at just 2% of the Union Budget, with per capita public spending at only ₹25 per day, forcing households into high out-of-pocket expenditure. The event is notable for explicitly framing health as a justiciable right, not merely a welfare objective.
Introduction
India’s health system stands at a crossroads where rising private sector dominance, weak public provisioning, and inequitable access coexist with constitutional commitments to dignity and equality. The National Convention on Health Rights seeks to reclaim health care as a public responsibility by addressing structural distortions exposed during the COVID-19 pandemic and by proposing an alternative rights-based framework.
Privatisation and the Erosion of Public Health Systems
Privatisation of Services: Expansion of public-private partnerships has transferred medical colleges and health facilities to private entities, weakening public capacity and oversight.
Cost Escalation: Commercial health care has made treatment unaffordable for large sections dependent on public provisioning.
Regional Resistance: Movements in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat highlight citizen-led opposition to health sector privatisation.
Regulatory Gaps: The Clinical Establishments Act, 2010 remains weakly implemented, allowing opaque pricing and unnecessary medical procedures, including excessive caesarean sections.
Inadequate Public Financing and Insurance-Centric Models
Budgetary Allocation: Public health receives only 2% of the Union Budget, insufficient for universal access.
Out-of-Pocket Expenditure: Low public spending results in high household health costs, deepening poverty.
Insurance Dependence: Government-sponsored insurance schemes prioritise hospitalisation rather than preventive and primary care.
Structural Limitation: Insurance-based models fail to strengthen health systems or reduce systemic inequities.
Health Workforce Crisis and Structural Injustice
Pandemic Exposure: COVID-19 highlighted the indispensable role of doctors, nurses, paramedics, and support staff.
Workplace Insecurity: Health workers face inadequate social security, unsafe working conditions, and poor remuneration.
Justice Deficit: The convention stresses the absence of legal and institutional mechanisms to protect health workers’ rights.
Systemic Link: Workforce distress directly undermines service quality and system resilience.
Access to Medicines and Regulatory Barriers
Household Burden: Medicines constitute nearly 50% of household medical spending, making them the most significant cost driver.
Market Distortions: Irrational fixed-dose combinations, unethical marketing, and high retail mark-ups inflate prices.
Policy Barriers: Patent regimes, regulatory gaps, and GST on medicines limit affordability.
Public Manufacturing: Strengthening public sector drug production is identified as critical for universal access.
Social Discrimination and Health Inequities
Structural Exclusion: Caste, gender, disability, and sexuality shape access to health care.
Marginalised Groups: Dalits, Adivasis, Muslims, LGBTQ+ persons, persons with disabilities, and those living with HIV face systemic discrimination.
Intersectional Determinants: Food security, environmental pollution, and climate change exacerbate health vulnerabilities.
Rights Framework: Non-discrimination is positioned as central to the right to health.
Reimagining Health Care as a Fundamental Right
Public Provisioning: Emphasis on strong, decentralised, community-led public health systems.
Participatory Governance: Inclusive planning and local accountability mechanisms strengthen service delivery.
Legal Anchoring: Health care framed as an enforceable fundamental right rather than a discretionary policy choice.
Political Engagement: Parliamentary dialogue sought to translate convention outcomes into policy reform.
Conclusion
The National Convention on Health Rights articulates a coherent alternative to market-driven health care by grounding access, affordability, and equity within a rights-based public framework. It reinforces the principle that health systems must serve people rather than profits.
The claim that India is “dumping” rice in the US market has resurfaced amid renewed India-US trade negotiations. However, trade data, export composition, and tariff structures indicate that India’s rice exports to the US are neither large in volume nor price-distorting. The issue assumes significance as it intersects with US protectionism, agricultural trade sensitivities, and India’s broader export strategy.
Nature of the Allegation and Its Context
Political Assertion: The allegation of rice dumping was raised by US President Donald Trump while justifying potential tariff actions against Indian exports.
Negotiation Backdrop: The statement coincides with the restart of India-US trade talks involving the US Trade Representative and India’s chief negotiator.
Trade Sensitivity: Agricultural trade remains among the most politically sensitive sectors in US trade policy.
Scale of India’s Rice Exports to the US
Limited Export Share: The US accounts for a marginal share of India’s rice exports.
Export Value: India exported rice worth $337.1 million to the US in 2024-25.
Global Comparison: Major destinations include Saudi Arabia, Iran, UAE, Yemen, and African countries, all importing far larger volumes than the US.
Import Dependence: The US is not a major rice producer but exports more rice than it imports.
Composition of Exports and Price Dynamics
Premium Product Profile: India’s exports to the US are dominated by basmati rice, a high-value, niche product.
Price Differential: Basmati rice exported to the US is priced at $900-1,125 per tonne, compared to $700-800 per tonne for non-basmati.
Market Positioning: Such pricing negates the economic logic of dumping, which requires below-cost sales.
Consumer Segment: Exports cater primarily to ethnic and gourmet markets rather than mass consumption.
Non-Basmati Exports and Market Structure
Negligible Share: Non-basmati rice exports to the US are minimal, accounting for a small fraction of total exports.
Primary Markets: Africa and parts of Asia dominate India’s non-basmati rice trade.
Trade Pattern: Countries such as Benin, Guinea, Côte d’Ivoire, and Bangladesh import substantially larger volumes.
Tariff Structure and Impact on Indian Exports
Existing Tariffs: Indian rice already faces US tariffs, limiting competitiveness.
Potential Tariff Hike: Trump has reiterated the possibility of imposing additional tariffs across sectors.
Marginal Impact: Analysts predict note that tariffs may not significantly affect rice exports due to their niche positioning.
Trade Balance Shift: India’s trade surplus with the US has declined from $35.7 billion (FY23) to $31.7 billion (FY25).
Broader Trade Negotiations and Strategic Signals
Negotiation Progress: Both sides expect a breakthrough due to sustained engagement.
Strategic Context: The trade talks are also shaped by US efforts to rebalance supply chains and counter China.
Indian Leverage: India’s diversified export basket and regulated agricultural exports strengthen its negotiating position.
Conclusion
The allegation of rice dumping lacks empirical support when examined against export volumes, pricing structures, and product composition. India’s rice exports to the US are limited, premium-priced, and non-disruptive. The issue reflects broader protectionist pressures rather than a genuine trade distortion, underscoring the importance of data-driven engagement in India-US trade negotiations.
Rice in India: Key Value-Addition Statistics
Area, Production and Yield
Area under rice: ~ 44 million hectares, about 23-24% of India’s gross cropped area.
Production: ~ 135-138 million tonnes (record levels in recent years).
Yield: ~ 3.9-4.1 tonnes per hectare, lower than China but improving due to HYVs and irrigation.
Seasonal spread: Dominantly kharif crop, with rabi rice significant in eastern and southern India.
Basmati vs Non-Basmati Rice
Basmati rice:
Area: ~ 1.5-1.6 million hectares
Share in production: ~ 4-5%
Share in export value: 25-30% (premium pricing)
Price: Significantly higher than non-basmati
Non-basmati rice:
Area: ~ 42 million hectares
Backbone of domestic food security
Accounts for bulk of export volume, especially to Africa and Asia
Policy role: Central to debates on MSP, food security, buffer stocks, and WTO subsidy limits.
UPSC-Relevant Analytical Points
Food security vs exports: Non-basmati supports PDS and buffer stock; basmati supports farmer income and forex.
WTO relevance: Rice is central to India’s public stockholding and subsidy notifications under AoA.
Environmental concern: Rice cultivation linked to groundwater depletion and stubble burning in north-west India.
Strategic leverage: Dominance in global rice trade gives India bargaining power but invites protectionist scrutiny.
WTO Dispute & Legal Hooks
WTO angle: India’s farm subsidies (especially MSP + public stockholding for rice & wheat) have been repeatedly challenged through US “counter-notifications” at the WTO, alleging India breaches the 10% de-minimis limit for product-specific support under the Agreement on Agriculture (AoA, Article 6).
Peace clause use: India itself notified breaching the rice subsidy cap in 2018–19 and invoked the Bali “peace clause” on public stockholding for food security, shielding it (temporarily) from legal action even if limits are crossed.
Related dispute: A 2018 WTO case on India’s sugar and sugarcane support saw a panel ruling (2021) that parts of India’s domestic support violated AoA rules; India appealed into the non-functional Appellate Body, so the case remains unresolved.
India-US Trade Share (Official Source)
Overall trade: As per USTR (official US data), total US–India goods and services trade was about $212.3 bn in 2024, with goods trade at $128.9 bn (US exports $41.5 bn; imports from India $87.3 bn).
Agriculture slice: A recent brief on India–US agricultural trade notes India’s agri exports to the US are about $5.7 bn annually, a small share of both India’s total exports and overall bilateral trade.
UPSC RELEVANCE
[UPSC 2021] What are the direct and indirect subsidies provided to farm sector in India? Discuss the issues raised by the World Trade Organization (WTO) in relation to agricultural subsidies.
Linkage: It is relevant to GS Paper III as WTO concerns over farm subsidies underpin dumping allegations against India, including in rice trade with the US. It helps assess whether export competitiveness is subsidy-driven or market-based.
Mental health systems globally and in India continue to prioritise biomedical treatment and functional integration. They often overlook lived experiences of distress, social exclusion, and structural vulnerability. There is a need for a fundamental shift: from care as a technical service to care as disability justice, grounded in dignity, equity, and relational accountability.
Reframing Mental Health Care Beyond Treatment
Dignity-Centred Care: Positions dignity, rather than cure or productivity, as the primary objective of mental health systems.
Disability Justice Lens: Recognises mental illness as shaped by intersecting social, economic, and political structures.
Relational Accountability: Frames care as embedded in relationships, not limited to institutional or clinical settings.
Limits of Dominant Psychosocial Disability Models
Productivity Bias: Prioritises economic functionality and independence as markers of recovery.
Reductionist Integration: Treats community inclusion as an end-state without addressing exclusionary social norms.
Invisible Chronic Distress: Marginalises individuals whose suffering does not conform to biomedical recovery trajectories.
Structural Determinants of Mental Distress
Material Deprivation: Highlights housing insecurity, income precarity, and food scarcity as persistent stressors.
Social Abandonment: Identifies shame, rejection, and relational breakdown as under-recognised drivers of distress.
Political and Cultural Loss: Notes erosion of cultural meaning, safety nets, and social identity as contributory factors.
Multiplicity of Explanations for Mental Illness
Biological Factors: Includes neurotransmitter alterations and inflammatory markers.
Psychological Factors: Covers trauma, grief, and interpersonal loss.
Socio-Structural Factors: Integrates caste, gender, class, and institutional neglect into causation analysis.
Intersectionality: Emphasises overlapping vulnerabilities rather than single-cause explanations.
Care as Relational and Material Practice
Everyday Care Practices: Includes shelter, nutrition, social connection, and safety as therapeutic.
Non-Linear Recovery: Rejects uniform timelines and outcome metrics.
Shared Responsibility: Frames care as a collective moral obligation rather than individual compliance.
Justice-Oriented Mental Health Engagement
Recognition of Harm: Acknowledges that distress often arises from unjust social arrangements.
Ethical Accountability: Asks what society owes to those it has marginalised.
Transformative Focus: Shifts emphasis from symptom management to social repair.
Implications for Education, Research, and Practice
Curricular Reorientation: Calls for training that values lived experience and contextual care.
Practice Diversity: Recognises non-specialist and community-based care providers.
Interdisciplinary Learning: Supports integration of social theory, ethics, and practice.
Systemic Support: Emphasises that professional competence requires institutional backing, not credentials alone.
Conclusion
Mental health care must be reimagined as an ethical, relational, and justice-oriented practice rather than a narrowly clinical intervention. By centering dignity and disability justice, the article calls for a paradigm shift that recognises suffering as socially produced and care as a shared societal responsibility.
Mental Health in India
About 10.6% of Indian adults, roughly 11 out of every 100 adults, were living with a diagnosable mental health disorder, according to a 2015-16 National Mental Health Survey (NMHS) conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS).
The survey also revealed:
15% of India’s adult population experiences mental health issues requiring intervention
The lifetime prevalence of mental disorders was 13.7%, indicating that around 14 out of every 100 people in India have experienced a mental disorder at some point in their lives
Mental health disorders are more prevalent in urban areas (13.5%), compared to rural areas (6.9%).
PYQ Relevance
[UPSC 2024] In a crucial domain like the public healthcare system, the Indian State should play a vital role to contain the adverse impact of marketisation of the system. Suggest measures through which the State can enhance the reach of public healthcare at the grassroots level.
Linkage: The article directly links to GS-II (Social Justice, Health) by highlighting the limitations of market-centric and outcome-driven public healthcare in addressing mental health and disability. It also enriches GS-IV by framing mental health care as an ethical obligation grounded in dignity, compassion, and justice rather than mere service delivery.
The Prime Minister paid tribute on Swahid Diwas (10 December 2025), honouring the martyrs of the Assam Movement and reaffirming the Government’s commitment to strengthening Assam’s culture and ensuring holistic development of the state.
About Swahid Diwas
Observed in Assam to commemorate the martyrs of the Assam Movement (1979–1985).
Recognises those who died during the agitation for identification, deletion and deportation of illegal migrants to protect the demographic, cultural and linguistic identity of the Assamese people.
About the Assam Movement
Period: 1979–1985.
Led by AASU (All Assam Students’ Union) and AAGSP.
Trigger: Concerns over illegal immigration from Bangladesh affecting Assam’s demographic balance.
Core demands:
Detection of illegal migrants
Updating electoral rolls
Preservation of Assamese culture and identity
Culmination: Assam Accord (1985) signed between AASU, AAGSP and the Government of India; provided mechanisms for identifying and addressing illegal immigration.
UPSC Prelims Pointers
Swahid Diwas → linked to Assam Movement, not to national movements.
Assam Movement → resulted in Assam Accord 1985.
Led mainly by AASU and AAGSP.
Focus → illegal migration, cultural identity, demographic protection.
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